We live in a world that is driven by the end goal.
We see super-motivated dogs in online videos who do all sorts of things that seem complex, breathtaking, and therefore, clearly reserved for a special group of folks who call themselves dog trainers and special particularly talented dogs.
There is a partial truth to that. Some activities, such as hunting or protection work, certainly rely on inherent instincts for which specific dogs were bred. However, many flashy videos out there do not demonstrate those skills.
Instead, they focus on tricks and obedience skills, and honestly speaking, the absolute majority of dogs can be taught either or both. Moreover, if you have a dog with an inclination to, let’s say, ceaselessly chase the ball and play tug-of-war with you, there is a good chance that they can do a protection sport, and you do not have to be a professional to get into it.
To break things down, I am going to focus on some sports a person can participate in with their dog and how to get into them. The list is by no means exhaustive; its main purpose is to provide you with a rough idea.
CKC Competitive Obedience and CKC Rally Obedience.
This is a sport in which you demonstrate your dog’s obedience skills, such as recall, stationary sit/stand, retrieving, jumping on command, heeling, etc.
Both sports have levels, and the higher the level, the more complex the exercises you need to perform. The difference between Obedience and Rally is that Rally is more hands-on, where you can talk to your dog, repeat commands, and overall be more casual, whereas Obedience trials are pretty formal.
The beauty of Obedience is that all breeds and breed mixes can do it. There are no age restrictions, and there is no breed discrimination. If you enjoy training with your dog, you can and should most certainly try it out, especially if you are taking courses with us. All of our obedience courses are structured in a way that follows CKC rules and trial regulations.
Protection sports (IGP, French Ring, Mondioring)
All three have an obedience aspect to them, and if you have started with Obedience, you will likely be okay in that phase. However, all three also feature a protection phase, in which your dog’s courage and nerves are tested in different ways. There are breeds that tend to do better in this sport, such as German Shepherds and Malinois. Some others, such as Giant Schnauzers, Dobermanns, and Rottweilers occasionally do pretty well too. However, there are plenty of examples where breeds not typically associated with those sports perform very well.
Finally, the sport of IGP has a tracking phase, in which a dog needs to follow a human scent and find “lost” items.
We teach tracking courses, and we provide evaluations for bite sports and can direct you towards a specific club so that you can join and continue your training.
Tricks
Like CKC Obedience, Tricks is something that all dogs can learn and do.
To receive titles in this activity, you need to teach your dog a specific number of tricks and then submit a recording of your performance to the evaluators. It is a super chill, fun activity which can be practiced anywhere.
It is in our plans to offer a course that prepares you for Tricks titles. If you are interested, reach out!
Agility
This is a super fun sport in which active, agile dogs do best. However, like obedience, all physically healthy dogs can perform and compete in this sport.
The essence of agility is to guide your dog through a number of obstacles in the most technically clean and fast way. The higher the level at which you are competing, the harder your obstacle courses will be.
It is really easy to get into this sport; just find the Agility club near you and reach out to them.
Dock Diving
Another fun sport, in which the dog jumps after the ball from the dock as far as possible.
Like with many other sports, the best way to get started is to find a club that trains in this discipline.
Some sports that are also out there are Lure Coursing, Barn Hunt, Treibball, and Freestyle. As you have probably gathered by now, to get into either of them is a matter of a simple Google search.
Bottom line is, do not be shy and do not underestimate your own dog. If you are interested in doing something, there surely is a sport out there for you! If you are not sure what sport will be good for you, reach out, and we can help you decide!